As the weather warms and the days get longer, May brings a fresh wave of pest activity. From your garden flowerbeds to the darkest corners of your home, bugs and creepy crawlies are making their presence known. Some are after food, some are seeking shelter, and others are simply waking up from a winter’s slumber. Whether you're pottering in the garden or spring cleaning the house, now is the perfect time to spot the signs and act early.
In this month’s pest predictions, we’ve split things into two sections—pests to watch for in your garden and those sneaking into your home. Keep reading to find out what’s lurking this May and how to stay one step ahead.
Garden Pests to Watch Out For
1. Slugs – The Slimy Salad Stealers
May is peak time for slugs. As the temperatures rise and the rain softens the soil, slugs emerge in full force to munch their way through your carefully planted vegetables, herbs, and flowers. They’re especially active during damp evenings or early mornings and can leave trails of slime across patios, plant pots, and leaves.
Slugs might not bite or sting, but they can wreak havoc on garden plants almost overnight. Their rasping tongues scrape away at leaves and stems, and they’re particularly fond of lettuce, hostas, and strawberries. If you’ve noticed ragged edges on your plants or small holes in leaves, slugs are likely the culprits.
To stop them in their tracks, Lodi UK’s Slug Killer Lentils are an easy solution. Organ-X Turbo Slug Killer Lentils provide gardeners and growers with years of research and innovation, developing the fastest, most effective bait for the control of slugs, protecting and reducing damage to plants.
- Max Coverage - 1 x 300g pouch treats up to 500m²
- Max Strength - 3 x more powerful than competitors
- Max Control - Kills adults & juvenile slugs
2. Ants – Little Insects, Big Problems
Ants become increasingly active in May as they hunt for food to take back to their colonies. You’ll likely spot them marching across your patio or popping up under plant pots. While some ants are harmless, they can quickly become a nuisance if they find their way indoors.
Outdoor ants often create nests beneath paving slabs, in compost heaps, or near water sources. Once one scout finds a crumb, the rest soon follow. If left untreated, ant infestations can be tricky to control.
To stop ants before they become a bigger problem, try our Insecto Ant Bait Stations. These bait stations attract ants, taking the poison back to the nest, wiping out the colony from the inside. Combine this with trusted Insecto Pro Formula Ant Powder around common entry points to create a powerful defence.
3. Flies – Buzzing Back into Action
With the garden heating up, house and cluster flies are on the move again. Whether they’re swarming compost heaps, bins, or animal waste, flies are more than just annoying—they’re unhygienic. Flies can carry bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella and transfer it onto your food or surfaces with ease.
In outdoor areas, especially where pets are fed or waste is present, flies are quick to lay eggs. These hatch within a day, and a small problem can rapidly become an infestation.
Thankfully, the Organ-X Fly Trap XL from Lodi UK is built for exactly this job. This non-toxic trap hangs easily in outdoor areas and can capture up to 40,000 flies. If you need something inside the house too, our Organ-X Sticky Fly Papers are a brilliant chemical-free option for catching those tiny winged warriors.
4. Wasps - Stop the Nest, Eliminate the Pest
Not peak season just yet but we’re certainly on wasp watch, with queens emerging from hibernation to establish new colonies. Wasps may seem less of a concern in early spring, but this is the most critical time to prevent an infestation. A newly established nest may only contain a handful of wasps, but by summertime, a nest can house up to 5,000 wasps, making it much harder to control.
Take wasp control to the next level with our Insecto Pro Formula Fly & Wasp Destroyer, which is the strongest amateur Fly and Wasp spray available on the UK market. Targets insects fast, simply direct & spray to kill the pest in an instant. Many aerosols contain very little active ingredient and when used prove fairly ineffective, however with Insecto’s instant results customers are moving away from known brands to Insecto.
- Kills insects instantly
- Used & approved by professionals
- At home insect control
- Targets all flying and crawling insects
Combines both Tetramethrin and Trans-Phenothrin for fast knockdown and results.
Indoor Pests to Watch Out For
1. Moths – Silent Fabric Assassins
Don’t be fooled by their quiet fluttering—moths can be a real nightmare for your wardrobe. In May, moths begin to lay eggs on fabrics like wool, cotton, and even carpets. Once hatched, the larvae chew through fibres, leaving unsightly holes in your clothes and textiles.
If you’ve found unexpected damage in drawers or wardrobes, it could be the work of clothes moths. They love dark, undisturbed areas like cupboards and storage boxes.
Our Organ-X Moth Magnets – Contain a pheromone for monitoring and trapping moths, indicating potential infestations and activity. They trap adult male moths and can also trap female moths when placed on the floor. A proven design to work for up to 4 months. 1 Trap can be used for wardrobes up to 1.5 cubic meters in volume.
2. Cluster Flies – Springtime Squatters
Cluster flies may sound like a winter pest, but May is when they reappear in your lofts and roof spaces after hibernation. You’ll often find them clustering around windows, trying to get outside. Unlike house flies, cluster flies don’t spread disease—but they can still cause distress in large numbers.
If you see them flying slowly around windows or gathering in corners, it’s best to act fast. To target cluster flies specifically you should contact your nearest professional pest controller.
3. Bed Bugs – The Unwanted Bed Companion
Often thought of as a summer issue, bed bugs can show up in May too—especially if you’ve recently returned from travel or had visitors stay. These pests hide in the seams of mattresses, bed frames, and furniture. They’re tiny, hard to spot, and come out at night to feed on human blood.
The first signs of bed bugs are usually small bites in a line or cluster pattern, red itchy bumps, or spotting of blood on sheets. They spread quickly, so early action is key.
If the problem is already extensive you should contact your local professional pest controller. However, you can also use our INSECTO Pro Formula Insect Fogger+, which is an automatic release aerosol that once set off will clear a room of any problem pests. Most insects hide away from view and are difficult to control with hand sprays, however once the INSECTO Pro Formula Insect Fogger+ has been released it will penetrate all ‘nooks and crannies’ and kill all the insects both in and out of sight.
- Automatically clears rooms from all known insects
- Also used by professionals
- Easy to use around the home
- Targets all flying and crawling insects
4. Cockroaches – Unwelcome Nighttime Visitors
Cockroaches are highly resilient pests that thrive in warm, moist environments—like behind kitchen appliances, under sinks, or inside wall voids. If you spot one in your home during the day, it’s a sign of a larger problem, as they’re nocturnal by nature.
Cockroaches can carry diseases, contaminate food, and cause allergies. In May, increased warmth and humidity can lead to spikes in activity, especially in homes with poor ventilation or excess moisture.
Our Insecto Pro Formula Insect Killing Powder uses a professional quality active ingredient of Azamethiphos which is used by today’s pest controllers that targets those unwanted insects within your home environment and outdoors.
- Targets Bedbugs, Fleas, Ants, Cockroaches, Wasp and Hornet Nests
- Ready to use puffer pack
- Can be used Indoors and Outdoors
- Can be used on carpets and bedroom furniture
Final Thoughts
May is a busy time for pests, but with the right knowledge and tools, you can keep your home and garden protected. Early detection and prevention are the best defences, and Lodi UK is here to help with trusted products used by professionals and homeowners alike.
Check back next month for our June pest predictions, and don’t forget to follow us on social media for handy pest control tips and seasonal updates.
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